FARGO, N.D. – Former professional runner and two-time NCAA cross country All-American
Andrew Carlson has joined the North Dakota State University track & field programs as an assistant coach, it was announced Thursday, July 31. A Fargo native, Carlson will direct the distance runners for the men's and women's track & field and cross country teams.
Carlson served as a part-time assistant for the Bison in 2014. He helped guide
Maddie McClellan to the Summit League Indoor Track Athlete of the Year award and a sweep of the league's indoor mile, 3,000m and 5,000m titles. On the men's side, Carlson coached
Brett Kelly to four all-league honors, three Summit League runner-up finishes, and 18th place in the 3,000m steeplechase at the NCAA West Preliminary Rounds in May.
"We are very excited to have Andrew with us," said NDSU head women's track & field and cross country coach
Ryun Godfrey. "He made an immediate impact on our program this spring as a part-time coach, and his passion for the sports of cross country and track & field is easily recognized."
"Andrew's knowledge, experience and dedication will help Bison cross country and track & field not only become stronger on the conference level, but also on the regional and national stage," said Godfrey.
A 2005 graduate of the University of Minnesota, Carlson was a two-time NCAA All-American in cross country and set the school record in the 5,000 meters at 13:44.64. He was the 2002 and 2004 NCAA Midwest Region champion in cross country, a two-time runner-up in the Big Ten outdoor 5,000 meters, and also owns the second-fastest time in school history in the 10,000 meters at 28:56:59.
Post-collegiately, he joined Team USA Minnesota in 2005, and won the USA 15K road championship in 2008. He was also a member of the 2011 U.S. squad that competed in the IAAF World Cross Country Championships in Punta Umbria, Spain.
From 2008-10, Carlson trained with the McMillan Elite training group in Flagstaff, Ariz., during which time won the 2010 USA 25K title, before rejoining Team USA Minnesota late in 2010. In 2012, Carlson placed sixth at the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials and owned the sixth-fastest marathon time by an American that year.
Carlson is a graduate of Fargo South High School where he was a four-time all-state honoree and a North Dakota state cross country champion.
